Does anyone have any experience with the OPPO HA-2 Portable Headphone Amplifier/DAC?

expat_mike

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Mar 30, 2013
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I was getting seduced by the thought of a Chord hugo for Christmas, and then I came across this review of the OPPO HA-2.

https://www.avforums.com/review/oppo-ha-2-headphone-dac-review.11514

The review makes me wonder if the OPPO would satisfy me for listening to music stored on my phone, at a small fraction of the cost of a Hugo.

So I would be interested to hear if anyone here, has experience with the OPPO.
 

dalethorn

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Dec 7, 2011
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expat_mike said:
I was getting seduced by the thought of a Chord hugo for Christmas, and then I came across this review of the OPPO HA-2.

https://www.avforums.com/review/oppo-ha-2-headphone-dac-review.11514

The review makes me wonder if the OPPO would satisfy me for listening to music stored on my phone, at a small fraction of the cost of a Hugo.

So I would be interested to hear if anyone here, has experience with the OPPO.

I use the HA-2 all the time. On a phone or iPod prior to the iPhone 6 series and the latest iPod Touch (Aug. 2015 version), it improves the sound significantly. On the new iPhones and iPod Touch, the improvement is subtle. On a computer, it's probably better than the computer's headphone jack, but not nearly as good as the Dragonfly v1.2, Microstreamer, or Audioengine D3.
 

expat_mike

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Mar 30, 2013
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dalethorn said:
I use the HA-2 all the time. On a phone or iPod prior to the iPhone 6 series and the latest iPod Touch (Aug. 2015 version), it improves the sound significantly. On the new iPhones and iPod Touch, the improvement is subtle. On a computer, it's probably better than the computer's headphone jack, but not nearly as good as the Dragonfly v1.2, Microstreamer, or Audioengine D3.

Thanks for replying. I get the impression from your reply, that the HA-2 is better suited to mobile use, rather than tethered to a laptop. Are you using the same type of headphones with your phones, and PC?

The Onkyo DAC-HA300 and the Teac HA-P950D also get good reviews for doing a similar job, but are more expensive, although have the advantage that they can accept a memory card.
 

dalethorn

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expat_mike said:
dalethorn said:
I use the HA-2 all the time. On a phone or iPod prior to the iPhone 6 series and the latest iPod Touch (Aug. 2015 version), it improves the sound significantly. On the new iPhones and iPod Touch, the improvement is subtle. On a computer, it's probably better than the computer's headphone jack, but not nearly as good as the Dragonfly v1.2, Microstreamer, or Audioengine D3.

Thanks for replying. I get the impression from your reply, that the HA-2 is better suited to mobile use, rather than tethered to a laptop. Are you using the same type of headphones with your phones, and PC?

The Onkyo DAC-HA300 and the Teac HA-P950D also get good reviews for doing a similar job, but are more expensive, although have the advantage that they can accept a memory card.

I recall Onkyo and Teac from years past as decent makers of small home audio systems, but not at the audiophile level where the current DACs play. I can't guess about their current products, since I buy gear that's reviewed in the more narrow genre of audiophile forums. For computers I highly recommend the Dragonfly v1.2, Audioengine D3, or Microstreamer mini-DACs, for typical headphones. There are much more expensive DAC/amps like the Hugo, or some that have more power for headphones that require it.
 

expat_mike

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Mar 30, 2013
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dalethorn said:
I recall Onkyo and Teac from years past as decent makers of small home audio systems, but not at the audiophile level where the current DACs play. I can't guess about their current products, since I buy gear that's reviewed in the more narrow genre of audiophile forums. For computers I highly recommend the Dragonfly v1.2, Audioengine D3, or Microstreamer mini-DACs, for typical headphones. There are much more expensive DAC/amps like the Hugo, or some that have more power for headphones that require it.

For computer use I finally plumped for a Dragonfly v1.2, which arrived yesterday. My first impressions based on listening to a few albums, is that partnered with my Grado SR80i's, I straight away am hearing new detail in the music and voices. In contrast when partnered with my old Shure SE110's, the same albums sound rather nasal. My future listening will be with the Grados, I won't waste time using the Shures.

For mobile use, my short term plan is to get the Oppo HA2 plus either etymotic ER4PT or Shure SE425.

In the longer term, I am now thinking in terms of the Chord Mojo. It already sounds like a good piece of kit, but Chord are working on a set of add-on modules to increase the functionality, so the Mojo feels like a work-in-progress, so I shall wait a few months and see how things pan out.
 

rich51080

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Mike get a set of Earsonics SM3 V2 - much better than the Shure SE425 & Etymotic.

I used to have the shures and Ety's and I think the SM3 blows them away. Tight bass - Sparkling highs and the best midrange I ever heard in a set of in ear monitors.

I use the Oppo with my SM3's and they are magical.

Best thing is you can upgrade the cable by using a Moon Audio Silver Dragon which takes it to a new level.
 

SonofSun

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dalethorn said:
expat_mike said:
On a computer, it's probably better than the computer's headphone jack, but not nearly as good as the Dragonfly v1.2, Microstreamer, or Audioengine D3.

I am using the HA-2 with my Sony laptop into Audioengine A2 speakers and it is significantly better than using the headphone socket. My experience with DACs is that the difference tends to be rather subtle, to.... I can't hear any difference at all between them, so I'll wager the difference isn't that dramatic using the other DAC's you mention.

It's a great little product and well worth the money imho.
 

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